Very light full-range cabinets?

[DukeLeJeune]

Still—Duke's new cabs ARE interesting. I'm looking for more details...

I'm not going to claim that my cabs + EQ = fEARful low end. Probably close, but not quite. I haven't gotten any complaints about my cabs' low end, but greenboy doesn't leave anything on the table, and I do, in the interest of portability, as well as in the interest of offering bass players a range of choices.

My target is the first overtone of low-B; my cabs are typically -2 to -4 dB at 62 Hz.

You mentioned looking for details about my new cabs, so I hope it's okay for me to provide some here. The relatively new Hathor 1544 uses a pair of small cone mids that go up to about 10 kHz, and then we're -4 dB at 62 Hz. 34 pounds. Its most interesting feature is a midrange chamber that's open on the top and sides, improving dispersion particularly in the vertical plane, the intended benefit being for you to still hear your overtones when you're virtually atop the cab on a tight stage.

Soon I will be introducing a 26 pound ballpark 112 combining the Kappalite 3012LF with a single small cone mid in the same sort of open format midchamber. I guess this cab will become my sound-per-pound leader south of 40 pounds, which is the weight you mentioned as the upper limit in your opening post.

And you already know about my Thunderchild 112 and 115 cabs, which are also south of 40 pounds. That's it; everything else I'm doing is heavier than that.

 

[bgavin]

I'm having success with thinner ply, i.e. genuine baltic birch, 3/8" nominal.

The big lesson learned with this is the mandatory cleats needed to secure the joints.
I learned this one after dropping a 6" x 6" x 6" square vent and the joints broke.
The PL Premium held fast, but ripped the top layer off the BB.
Also, 3/8" BB is almost too-thin for braced baffle boards.
I think 1/2" BB is better here, as most of the baffle is removed for driver cutouts.

Uber-lights can be done, but there is a LOT of extra bracing required, plus the joint cleats.
This is OK for DIY, but might be problematic for production work.
If you jig a run of required braces, you can crank out large number in a working session.

I hole (Link Removed) all my bracing to save weight.
IMO, this is the most time consuming PITA of the whole project.
Horn bracing is quite large and requires a lot of holes.
The above photo is a 27" wide T48, entirely in 1/2" BB, and quite heavy even with the holes.

 

[Jim Carr]

There are (or at least used to be) plenty of excellent composites fabricators in Hawaii, FWIW.

Wow! Yes, of course that must be so, given all the amazing boards and boats...hmmm.

 

[CL400Peavey]

How about getting some composite cabs made for your innards?

Would have to be a third party, none of greenboy's builders work in composite anymore.

Personally I think he would be happy with two 3012LF loaded cabs as long as the wood and hardware used was light.

 

[Jim Carr]

I recall some of the very light composite fEARfuls tended to walk, jump, or just plain shake quite a bit. I suppose that might be bracing, but do very light composite fEARful cabs really behave themselves like my baby rhino 15/6/1 (Line-X coated) fEARful cab?

 

[Jim Carr]

Would have to be a third party, none of greenboy's builders work in composite anymore.

Oh right—I remember that now.

Personally I think he would be happy with two 3012LF loaded cabs as long as the wood and hardware used was light.

+1
I am thinking the same way.

 

[monkeyfinger]

My composite 15/6/1 will jump around with a light-weight amp at full volume.

 

[Jim Carr]

Duke—thanks for this!!!

I'm not going to claim that my cabs + EQ = fEARful low end. Probably close, but not quite. I haven't gotten any complaints about my cabs' low end, but greenboy doesn't leave anything on the table, and I do, in the interest of portability, as well as in the interest of offering bass players a range of choices.

My target is the first overtone of low-B; my cabs are typically -2 to -4 dB at 62 Hz.

You mentioned looking for details about my new cabs, so I hope it's okay for me to provide some here. The relatively new Hathor 1544 uses a pair of small cone mids that go up to about 10 kHz, and then we're -4 dB at 62 Hz. 34 pounds. Its most interesting feature is a midrange chamber that's open on the top and sides, improving dispersion particularly in the vertical plane, the intended benefit being for you to still hear your overtones when you're virtually atop the cab on a tight stage.

Soon I will be introducing a 26 pound ballpark 112 combining the Kappalite 3012LF with a single small cone mid in the same sort of open format midchamber. I guess this cab will become my sound-per-pound leader south of 40 pounds, which is the weight you mentioned as the upper limit in your opening post.

And you already know about my Thunderchild 112 and 115 cabs, which are also south of 40 pounds. That's it; everything else I'm doing is heavier than that.

 

[CL400Peavey]

+1
I am thinking the same way.

I'll tell you this, I have sat down with all three of greenboy's 12" woofer loaded cabs. Between the fEARful and fEARless line you dont give up much if anything, except weight.

 

[Rocksolid]

What about a powered wedge? I'm playing this Christmas season after surgery on my right hand and needed a light weight solution. I got a QSC k12. It does the job well.

 

[Jim Carr]

Some impressive work there! That PL is "strong stuff."

I'm not sure I want to venture into it, but I really do admire it. That 3/8" BB is so light, that with all the driver openings it might be too delicate. If I "go there," you will hear from me!

I'm having success with thinner ply, i.e. genuine baltic birch, 3/8" nominal.

The big lesson learned with this is the mandatory cleats needed to secure the joints.
I learned this one after dropping a 6" x 6" x 6" square vent and the joints broke.
The PL Premium held fast, but ripped the top layer off the BB.
Also, 3/8" BB is almost too-thin for braced baffle boards.
I think 1/2" BB is better here, as most of the baffle is removed for driver cutouts.

Uber-lights can be done, but there is a LOT of extra bracing required, plus the joint cleats.
This is OK for DIY, but might be problematic for production work.
If you jig a run of required braces, you can crank out large number in a working session.

I hole (Link Removed) all my bracing to save weight.
IMO, this is the most time consuming PITA of the whole project.
Horn bracing is quite large and requires a lot of holes.
The above photo is a 27" wide T48, entirely in 1/2" BB, and quite heavy even with the holes.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

My Fearless cabs (and Crazy8s) are built with 3/8" Okoume. They're nice and strong - and lighter than BB. Here's a weight comparison table of various wood types given to me by Mike Arnopol:

species lbs/ft² relative to true BB
============== ====== ===================
Baltic Birch 1.6250 100.00%
Meranti 1.5035 92.52%
Arauco 1.2559 77.29%
Okoume 1.1562 71.15%
Falcatta 1.0279 63.26%
Italian Poplar 0.9375 57.69%

 

[KJung]

Due to a recent injury, I need to find the lightest cabs I can. I am a Greenboy user, but my 15/6/1 weighs in at over 60 lbs.

I play everything from Reggae to Country. I have a light rig for upright, but what I am seeking is something that can match or exceed my 15/6/1 for work with loud club bands.

Am I needing a pair 12/6/1's or a 12/6 and a 12sub? What about AudioKinesis? I see the Thunderchild 112 is 30 lbs and the 115 is 40, but I wonder if the lowend is big enough for "Island Music?" Anyone in North America using Barefaced's new line?

While I can afford those cabs, are there GB, GK, Bergantino, or Carvin cabs I might consider? I am not really in the position to DIY—but I need to match or exceed my current cab in a couple of lighter packages—Gee I wish Ron Anchak was still building!

I guess I am looking for two cabs, each 40 lbs or less that really deliver wide clean response, big lowend, and lots of power handling/volume. Efficiency, size, and price are not big concerns.

Oy vey ist mir!

Assuming you dig your 15/6, a lightweight 12/6 and 12sub would do the trick for sure. Hearing your clips in the past, the fEARful thing fits what you do beautifully. Sell the 15/6 and get the lightweight builds (whatever that Okum stuff is, however you spell it), and get that 12/6 plus sub. It will outperform your 15/6 (more cone area and 4ohms), and a single 12/6 would cover quite a few gigs for you I would guess.

 

[bgavin]

I recall some of the very light composite fEARfuls tended to walk, jump, or just plain shake quite a bit. I suppose that might be bracing, but do very light composite fEARful cabs really behave themselves like my baby rhino 15/6/1 (Line-X coated) fEARful cab?

Walk-about is an out of balance condition.
This is most severe with heavy passive radiators mounted on a single cabinet wall.
The secret to perfect balance with PRs is the same as the BMW opposed engines: one on the front, another on the back wall.

A big driver with a heavy moving mass can shake a light weight box.

 

[Mark Nye]

It may not match your 15/6/1 but my okoume Bassic15 with the Faital is 32 pounds and absolutely amazing. I imagine two of them would be quite a powerful rig that's easy to carry.

I had it built with recessed handled on both sides and the top. This makes it easy to move in any situation.
View attachment 377084

+1. I love my Bassic 15. Mine is Arauco with a 3015, and it's a hair under 31 lbs.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

Dr. Jim, Thanks for considering my cabs, I really appreciate that.

It sounds to me like the fEARful 12/6 is within your weight parameters and so that makes more sense coming from a 15/6.

My only suggestion would be to consider doing two 12/6's instead of a 12/6 + 12 sub, so that you have the same tone whether it's a big gig or a small one, plus having two full-range cabs gives you some interesting options for covering a wider area than normal if called for.

 

[KJung]

Dr. Jim, Thanks for considering my cabs, I really appreciate that.

It sounds to me like the fEARful 12/6 is within your weight parameters and so that makes more sense coming from a 15/6.

My only suggestion would be to consider doing two 12/6's instead of a 12/6 + 12 sub, so that you have the same tone whether it's a big gig or a small one, plus having two full-range cabs gives you some interesting options for covering a wider area than normal if called for.

Duke, I think the 12/6 + sub pairing includes a mid driver pad switch and tweeter attenuator in order to adjust the top end output to balance with the 12/6 and sub, and to then maintain the same balance when the 12/6 is used alone (similar to the Bergantino IP112ER/EX112ER). Could be wrong, but if so, that would save some cost and weight.

 

[dukeorock]

If you stay within the fEARful line, I'm gonna agree with Duke on this one. You can also leave one cab at the rehearsal space and have the same one at home for practices and gigs. If you go that route, I'd suggest using the alphalite mid drivers.

Other great, super light cabs in the Greenboy world would be two mirrored F112's. Lighter still than the 12/6's and sound massive together. Another featherweight contender is the F110 on an F110s sub. Crazy light in Okoume and shocking performance

 

[Thumper]

If you can be patient, composite Thunderchild 115s come up for sale here from time to time. Mine weighs 32 lbs, but will not be for sale anytime soon They are crazy loud (4 ohms) and low.

 

[Jim Carr]

...What frequency(ies) are you boosting into your fEARful to get that Island sound, if I may ask? I want to do some modelling, as my 115 does fall short of the mighty fEARful 15/6/1 in air-moving capability.

Duke—I meant to answer this sooner, but so many rehearsals crammed together this weekend had me hopping, and I can only schlepp half of what I usually do.

Here is a view (for a passive Jazz bass) of my Mesa M9 GEQ with the amp's contour switch in "flat" mode. This went to a DI and a Rack 003 ProTools System for a recording, but is similar to what I often use live in clubs without PA support for Reggae band performances—12dB down over 2k. The shape currently is smoother, so I'll add an up-to-date image tomorrow.